Why do we feign such rapturous delight,
in pretence to others that all is alright,
what if the soul is quietly suppressed,
cloaked in darkness, hidden and repressed,

Are we ashamed to drape the veil,
to retreat into darkness and embrace the pale,
truth can be found from deep in a frown,
so why wear the clothes and tears of a clown.

© H V Swan

The sea calls out her name,
soft whispers hidden in the sound of the waves that gently break against the shore,
holding out my hand I touch the empty air,
it reaches back yet I feel nothing but the cold,
salt filled mist that swirls through my soul.


© H V Swan

love once roamed freely within this hollow room,
now these walls confine me,
like an ancient, lost tomb,
tears flow, like blackened rain,
spirit in turmoil, head hung in shame.
I watch my breath through the stale, thin air,
as the ropes shadow beckons,
upon the cold wooden chair.

© H V Swan

"I'm so complicated!"
he said, exasperated.
But really,
he was too young
to understand himself.

I wake up in the middle of the night
Cold sweat covering my body

I stay too long in the shower
Because I cry

I try too hard to fit in and to be liked
Because I wouldn't want to sit alone during lunch

I try to be funny
So that people will notice me

I try to be smart
So my parents will be proud of me

I try to be sensible
So my siblings will look up to me

I try not to be so sad
So I don't feel the urge to pick on my skin
So I don't cut open my skin
So I don't see blood coming out of me

But I end up giving in anyways
Because I'm human

I end up being a shame
**Because I'm human

You don't get to choose 
The country you're born in 

You don't get to choose 
The parents you're born to 

You don't get to choose
The name you're given 

You don't get to choose 
The *** you're born with 

But then you get to choose 
The people you surround yourself with

You get to choose 
Your first crush
Your first love
Your first kiss

Then I wonder
With the very little things 
We all get to decide on 

Why do we choose 
The people who just waste all our firsts 

Why do we choose 
The people who hurt us?

Every time I see a picture of you unexpectedly it makes my mind skip.
You're just so striking.
It's one of the things that makes me think we're right for each other.

But there's so much that makes us wrong.